Ideal masters Cisco storage
IES to add storage products and expertise through deal with Azlan
Ideal Enterprise Solutions (IES) is adding storage products and expertise to Cisco networking equipment through a deal that will see it work directly with Cisco channel development partner Azlan.
The storage division of Ideal Hardware will become a Cisco master reseller focusing exclusively on Cisco's range of storage products.
IES will buy equipment from Azlan and integrate Cisco's storage products before selling on to a group of specialist Cisco resellers.
Nick Watson, head of unified channels UK at Cisco, said: "We have signed IES as a storage partner to add our storage routers and 3500 switches to equipment bought from Azlan.
"Its expertise is a good way to provide our storage products embedded within equipment."
Cisco recently signalled its intention to develop a storage business with the acquisition of storage switch maker Andiamo Systems.
Through IES the networking vendor will reach about 50 of its existing resellers with its storage offering pre-installed in networking equipment.
Mark Walker, director at IES, explained that Cisco has realised the importance of specialisation in the storage arena.
"In the past Cisco has signed partners on the basis that they have to sell the whole range, but with us they get specialised storage," he said.
Walker added that IES's value to Cisco is not in logistics but in knowing how to sell and integrate the storage products correctly.
He explained that storage, which is a niche market for Cisco, requires dedicated support skills for the limited number of resellers.
"Storage networking is still the preserve of a small number of specialist resellers," he said.
Watson indicated that IES will not compete with any of Cisco's existing distributors, but will act as a technology expert to add storage to Cisco's networking equipment.
"It is not a channel development partner or a Cisco Authorised Distributor, but specifically a master reseller that will buy from Azlan," he said.